George Monbiot's blog + Gas | The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot+gas
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James Lovelock's book shows genius is no defence against being wrong | George Monbiothttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2014/apr/24/james-lovelocks-book-genius-defence
<p>The retired scientist's claims about heating costs and DDT don't stack up in his new book, A Rough Ride to the Future</p><p>Is there anyone as stimulating, infuriating, fascinating and contradictory as James Lovelock? As I found <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0415h9t">during our radio discussion</a> this week, at 94 he's as acute and lively as ever. And, as ever, I kept switching between delighting in what he said and groaning with despair. He has greatly enriched our understanding and experience of the living planet. But he doesn't half talk some rubbish sometimes.<br></p><p>James epitomises that romantic ideal: the independent scientist and inventor. Few succeed in going it alone in any field, least of all these. For every lone genius, there are 1,000 people who believe themselves to be one, but who either unwittingly repeat other people's work or who, without a sufficient grounding in science, begin with a wildly mistaken premise and go downhill from there. If I had a pound for every email I've received claiming to have discovered new forms of energy or propulsion, I could have bought myself a warp drive.</p><p>it costs three to 10 times as much to heat a house in Britain as it does to heat a comparable house in America, which overall has a colder climate. This huge discrepancy, which affects everyone and all our industry in Britain, is part of the cost of believing in renewable energy as if it were a religious obligation.</p><p>'Young ideologues' and 'urban green lobbies' ... 'made noisy demands until the US Congress obliged them and other nations soon followed. One consequence of this ban was a sharp rise in the human death rate from malaria and other insect-borne diseases in tropical regions.'</p><p>Neither Rachel Carson, nor the green movement – nor the US government seemed aware of the dire human consequence of banning the manufacture of DDT and its lookalikes before substitutes were available ... In 1963 malaria was about to become effectively controlled. The insecticide ban led to a rise in malaria deaths to 2 million yearly, plus over 100 million disabled by the disease.</p><p>DDT was banned outright. Subsequently it became usable again for malarial control in a limited way.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2014/apr/24/james-lovelocks-book-genius-defence">Continue reading...</a>EnvironmentJames LovelockRenewable energyGasPesticidesEnergyScienceEnergy researchThu, 24 Apr 2014 11:31:54 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2014/apr/24/james-lovelocks-book-genius-defencePhotograph: Nick Ansell/PAScientist and inventor James Lovelock, 94, sits with one of his early inventions, a homemade gas chromatography device. Photograph: Nick Ansell/PAPhotograph: Nick Ansell/PAScientist and inventor James Lovelock, 94, sits with one of his early inventions, a homemade gas chromatography device. Photograph: Nick Ansell/PAGeorge Monbiot2014-04-24T11:31:54ZDame Helen Ghosh, your fracking remark was ill-informed and incoherent | George Monbiothttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2013/oct/24/dame-helen-ghosh-fracking-wind-turbines-national-trust
With her 'fracking v wind turbines' statement, the new National Trust head has got off to a bad start. Here's why<p>"It's not for me to judge the relative merits of fracking versus wind turbines." <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/oct/24/national-trust-open-land-fracking" title="">So said Dame Helen Ghosh</a>, the National Trust's new director general.</p><p>To this there are two obvious responses. The first is: yes, as the head of Britain's biggest conservation group, this is just the kind of judgment you should be making. You've been appointed to lead this organisation, and a crucial component of leadership is making judgments. Because it is a public organisation, these judgments should be explained to your membership and to others who take an interest in what the trust does.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2013/oct/24/dame-helen-ghosh-fracking-wind-turbines-national-trust">Continue reading...</a>FrackingEnergyFossil fuelsGasEnvironmentThe National TrustUK newsThu, 24 Oct 2013 14:33:33 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2013/oct/24/dame-helen-ghosh-fracking-wind-turbines-national-trustPhotograph: Steve Parsons/PAThe director-general of the National Trust, Dame Helen Ghosh. Photograph: Steve Parsons/PAPhotograph: Steve Parsons/PAThe director-general of the National Trust, Dame Helen Ghosh. Photograph: Steve Parsons/PAGeorge Monbiot2013-10-24T14:33:33ZJapan's 'frozen gas' reserves are worthless if we take climate change seriously | George Monbiothttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2013/mar/14/japan-gas-climate-change
Like all nations extending the fossil fuel frontier, Japan is adding to the mountain of fossil fuels we cannot responsibly burn<p>There's only one way of knowing whether or not governments are serious about climate change: have they decided to leave most of their fossil fuel reserves in the ground? We have already discovered far more carbon than we can afford to burn, if we are not to commit the world to very dangerous levels of heating. Only if most of it – <a href="http://www.carbontracker.org/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2011/07/Unburnable-Carbon-Full-rev2.pdf" title="">four-fifths according to a detailed estimate</a> – is left where it sits is there a good chance of preventing more than2C of global warming.</p><p>Forgive me if you've heard me say this many times before. But it is the only point that is really worth making. It doesn't matter how many wind turbines you build, or energy-saving lightbulbs you install, or more economical cars you manufacture: unless most of our fossil fuel reserves are declared off-limits they will, sooner or later, be extracted and burned. The question of whether it is sooner or whether it is later makes little difference: we have already <a href="http://www.monbiot.com/2011/07/19/an-underground-national-park/" title="">identified more underground carbon</a> than we can afford to burn between now and the year 3000.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2013/mar/14/japan-gas-climate-change">Continue reading...</a>GasEnergyFossil fuelsEnvironmentClimate changeJapanWorld newsThu, 14 Mar 2013 13:06:07 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2013/mar/14/japan-gas-climate-changePhotograph: Kiyoshi Ota/Getty ImagesThere may be catastrophic release of gas from methane hydrates buried beneath the deep sea. Photograph: Kiyoshi Ota/Getty ImagesPhotograph: Kiyoshi Ota/Getty ImagesThere may be catastrophic release of gas from methane hydrates buried beneath the deep sea. Photograph: Kiyoshi Ota/Getty ImagesGeorge Monbiot2013-03-14T13:06:07ZEDF's vengeful £5m No Dash for Gas lawsuit is corporate and PR suicide | George Monbiothttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2013/feb/28/edf-climate-change
EDF will lose this petty and anti-democratic fight against the climate activists – and it will cost them their reputation<p>"Who breaks a butterfly upon a wheel?" The current answer to Alexander Pope's question is the power company Électricité de France (EDF). <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/feb/20/activists-police-edf-law-suit" title="">It is suing 21 climate change activists for £5m</a> as a result of their <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/nov/05/no-dash-for-gas-end-occupation" title="">week-long occupation of its power station at West Burton in Nottinghamshire</a>.</p><p>In doing so it has made the biggest strategic mistake since McDonald's pursued two impoverished activists - and inflicted more damage on its brand than its critics had ever managed. The campaign against EDF's vindictive bullying is snowballing with astonishing speed. During daylight hours yesterday, signatures on <a href="https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/tell-edfenergy-to-drop-legal-action-against-no-dash-for-gas-activists?alert_id=LdKutzsejE_YXdLtccPZo&amp;utm_campaign=19054&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=action_alert" title="">the petition against this lawsuit</a> were coming in at the rate of 1,000 per hour.</p><p>"its customers fled, its share price collapsed and its chief executive was forced out. Gunn's found itself obliged to settle the case by making massive payouts to the people it had sued."</p><p>"Failed timber company Gunns directors could still face charges of trading insolvently and have their personal financial positions examined. Gunns administrator PPB Advisory ... will recommend to creditors at their second meeting next Tuesday, March 5, that they vote for all Gunns companies to be placed into liquidation. ... It is unlikely that there will be sufficient funds to satisfy the company's lenders' debt of about $446m ... Unsecured creditor claims stand about $2.4bn."</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2013/feb/28/edf-climate-change">Continue reading...</a>EDF EnergyClimate changeEnvironmental activismProtestGasEnergyNo Dash for GasThu, 28 Feb 2013 12:39:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2013/feb/28/edf-climate-changePhotograph: No Dash for GasNo Dash for Gas activists occupy the West Burton Power Station in November 2012. Photograph: No Dash for GasPhotograph: No Dash for GasNo Dash for Gas activists occupy the West Burton Power Station in November 2012. Photograph: No Dash for GasGeorge Monbiot2013-02-28T12:39:00ZThe energy bill is misleading, manipulative and destructive – and so are Davey's claims | George Monbiothttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2012/may/31/energy-bill-destructive-daveys-claims
Ed Davey has manipulated quotes to support the bill and a clause has been inserted to allow any coal plant to be built<p>My conversation with Ed Davey began badly. Two weeks ago the Liberal Democrat secretary of state rang me to explain that <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/may/22/government-announces-energy-reforms" title="">his energy bill</a> would be the best legislation drafted since the 10 commandments. It happened that earlier that day, Ed Davey's deputy, the Conservative energy minister Charles Hendry, whom it would be inaccurate to describe as petite, had delivered a statement to the House of Commons, after which he had tried to reverse into his seat. But he missed, and instead sat on the secretary of state. I told Davey that I hoped he had recovered, and that it seemed to me symbolic of the Lib Dems' role in the coalition.</p><p>To say that he took this in the wrong spirit is to state the case mildly. He insisted that it is "inaccurate and unwarranted to suggest that the Liberal Democrats are being sat on by the Conservatives". Ten minutes later, halfway through a long and riveting disquisition on "feed-in tariffs with contracts for difference", he suddenly and unexpectedly returned to the theme, hotly insisting that his role in government proved that the Liberal Democrats were not in any sense or any manner being sat on. That clears it up then.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2012/may/31/energy-bill-destructive-daveys-claims">Continue reading...</a>Ed DaveyFossil fuelsRenewable energyCoalGasPoliticsEnergyEnvironmentThu, 31 May 2012 11:02:39 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2012/may/31/energy-bill-destructive-daveys-claimsPhotograph: ITV NewsThe energy minister Charles Hendry has sat physically on Ed Davey. Photograph: ITV NewsPhotograph: ITV NewsThe energy minister Charles Hendry has sat physically on Ed Davey. Photograph: ITV NewsGeorge Monbiot2012-05-31T11:02:39ZCharles Hendry's fracking response raises more questions than it answers | George Monbiothttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2011/sep/23/shale-gas-gas
There are still some major concerns about shale gas drilling that the energy and climate change minister is swerving<p>Beware of <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/sep/21/gas-field-blackpool-dallas-sea" title="">mining companies claiming vast finds</a>.</p><p>History is littered with news of discoveries that send share prices rocketing, but which later turn out to have been over-enthusiastic. That <a href="http://www.cuadrillaresources.com/" title="">Cuadrilla Resources</a> has found something under the rocks in north-west England is doubtless true. That the quantity of shale gas might be substantial is not a proposition I would bet against. But whether it really amounts to 200tr cubic feet of gas, and will trigger a "shale gas revolution" employing thousands of people, remains to be seen. Anyone who follows the pronouncements of drilling companies quickly becomes sceptical.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2011/sep/23/shale-gas-gas">Continue reading...</a>FrackingGasEnergyFossil fuelsClimate changeEnvironmentGreen politicsPoliticsUK newsFri, 23 Sep 2011 09:58:23 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2011/sep/23/shale-gas-gasPhotograph: Paul Thomas/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesA segment of Bowland shale from Cuadrilla Resources's exploration site in Singleton, north-east England. Photograph: Paul Thomas/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesPhotograph: Paul Thomas/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesA segment of Bowland shale from Cuadrilla Resources's exploration site in Singleton, north-east England. Photograph: Paul Thomas/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesGeorge Monbiot2011-09-23T09:58:23ZThe UK's lack of fracking regulation is insane | George Monbiothttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2011/aug/31/fracking-issues-resolve
The UK government must not permit further drilling of shale gas until we can be assured that fracking is safe<p>Before the government approves a new industrial process in the UK it must have ensured that it won't harm either people or the environment. Mustn't it? That's what any sane person would expect. Any sane person would be wrong.</p><p>One year ago, a company called <a href="http://www.cuadrillaresources.com/" title="">Cuadrilla Resources</a> began drilling exploratory shafts into the rock at Preese Hall near Blackpool, in north-west England, to begin the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/apr/20/gasland-shale-gas-drilling-uk" title="">UK's first experiments with extracting gas trapped in formations of shale</a>. The process – called <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/apr/20/shale-gas-fracking-question-answer" title="">hydraulic fracturing</a>, or fracking - involves <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/interactive/2011/apr/26/shale-gas-hydraulic-fracking-graphic" title="">pumping a mixture of water, sand and drilling fluids at high pressure into the rock</a>, to split it apart and release the natural gas it contains. In June, Cuadrilla temporarily suspended its operations as a result of <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jun/01/blackpool-earthquake-tremors-gas-drilling" title="">two small earthquakes in the area</a>, which might have been caused by the fracking. The experiment is likely to resume soon. Cuadrilla has also started exploratory drilling at two other sites in the region.</p><p>"The local planning authority has concluded that Cuadrilla's exploration activities do not fall within the criteria for EIA, and none has been performed."</p><p>"We are aware of no requirement on Cuadrilla to perform a health impact assessment, and we gather that they have not to date done so."</p><p>"Government has not conducted a specific analysis of the size and variability of greenhouse gas emissions from the shale gas extraction process."</p><p>"We would expect that shale gas should have a carbon footprint of the same order as natural gas from conventional onshore fields, and significantly lower than that of coal."</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2011/aug/31/fracking-issues-resolve">Continue reading...</a>FrackingGasEnvironmentFossil fuelsEnergyClimate changeWed, 31 Aug 2011 06:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2011/aug/31/fracking-issues-resolvePhotograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty ImagesThe drilling rig of Cuadrilla Resources explores the Bowland shale for gas, near Blackpool. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty ImagesPhotograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty ImagesThe drilling rig of Cuadrilla Resources explores the Bowland shale for gas, near Blackpool. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty ImagesGeorge Monbiot2011-08-31T06:00:00ZIf fossil fuel reserves rise carbon should be left where it belongs: in the ground | George Monbiothttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2010/feb/25/oil-gas-reserves
Peak oil should be good news for the environment, but not if it stimulates investment in even dirtier sources of energy<p>When forecasts of fossil fuel reserves improve, how should we respond? A <a href="http://www.oilandgasuk.co.uk/cmsfiles/modules/publications/pdfs/EC020.pdf" title="new report">new report</a> (pdf) by the trade body Oil &amp; Gas UK says that 11bn barrels of oil and gas could now be extracted from the UK continental shelf. This would mean a rough doubling of current reserves, but it depends on high energy prices and much greater investments than companies have so far been prepared to make to turn possible or probable reserves into real ones. If the extra reserves materialised, the body says, the UK could still produce up to half its own supplies in 2020: a lower rate of decline than previously forecast.</p><p>We should be cautious about projections made by trade associations: they have an interest in talking up their industry's prospects, and the report could be read as just another plea for even more generous tax breaks. But if it's true that reserves could double, is this good news or bad news? It depends on which stories you want to hear.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2010/feb/25/oil-gas-reserves">Continue reading...</a>Peak oilOilOilEnvironmentOil and gas companiesGasGasBusinessFossil fuelsEnergyEnergy industryThu, 25 Feb 2010 12:18:18 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2010/feb/25/oil-gas-reservesPhotograph: SHAUN CURRY/AFP/Getty ImagesClimate campaigners outside Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters, protesting against the bank's funding for the coal industry and tar sands extraction in Canada. Photograph: SHAUN CURRY/AFP/Getty ImagesPhotograph: SHAUN CURRY/AFP/Getty ImagesClimate campaigners outside Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters, protesting against the bank's funding for the coal industry and tar sands extraction in Canada. Photograph: SHAUN CURRY/AFP/Getty ImagesGeorge Monbiot2010-02-25T12:18:18ZGeorge Monbiot: A kneejerk rejection of nuclear power is not an optionhttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2009/feb/20/george-monbiot-nuclear-climate
Support of nuclear power will no doubt provoke hostile responses, but we have a duty to be as realistic as possible about how we might best prevent runaway climate change<p>One of my favourite environmental writers, my friend <a href="http://bristlingbadger.blogspot.com/2009/01/nuke-mark-lynas.html">Merrick Godhaven, is taking shots at me</a> and <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/profile/marklynas">Mark Lynas</a>. </p><p>It concerns that most divisive of green topics: <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/nuclearpower">nuclear power</a>. </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2009/feb/20/george-monbiot-nuclear-climate">Continue reading...</a>Nuclear powerClimate changeEnvironmentNuclear wasteCarbon capture and storage (CCS)Greenhouse gas emissionsGasEnergyBusinessFri, 20 Feb 2009 13:28:03 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2009/feb/20/george-monbiot-nuclear-climatePhotograph: AFPA field of sunflowers in front of the Areva Tricastin nuclear plant in in Bollene, in the south of France. Photograph: Fred Dufour/AFP/Getty imagesPhotograph: AFPA field of sunflowers in front of the Areva Tricastin nuclear plant in in Bollene, in the south of France. Photograph: Fred Dufour/AFP/Getty imagesGeorge Monbiot2009-02-20T13:28:03Z